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5 Oct 2011

FESTIVE BAUBLES

I thought you might be interested in the process I go through from initial idea to final product. In a time when computer software allows us to create all sorts of designs very quickly, I have chosen to stick with a much more complicated and time consuming route than you might think! I started working on Festive Baubles in December 2010 when I had the idea of creating a design with vintage style baubles. First I had to select the paper colours and draw out the bauble shapes. I then set about making 38 individual A5 size baubles, each with a unique hand-cut design. It was like working on a puzzle over a series of weeks, as I picked it up as and when I had the time for a bit of creative fiddling.

Dark December evening in 2010

Eventually, and with all 38 baubles in hand, I decided they had to have bauble tops and hangers as I wanted them to look similar to the real thing. After spending rather a long time playing around with silver foil and various textured papers, I finally came up with disposable cooking trays as the bauble tops and wire for the hangers, which I felt gave them a 3D quality.

Once I had completed the tops on the 38 baubles it was then time to scan each one at a high resolution. I then had to crop out each bauble within Photoshop, name each one (to save confusion later on) and then set about the actual layout of the design itself, which involved hours of arranging on a page size of 500mm by 700mm. I played with different backgrounds and different layouts.

Choosing the right bauble size was a tricky decision as I felt this design would have been nice larger on the paper. However, being destined to go onto Christmas gift wrap for regular size gifts, the baubles needed to be quite small. I also decided that as there were so many strong colours on the baubles themselves, it really needed a very pale, almost cream, background in order for them to be clear and distinct.

Festive Baubles with Figgy Pudding gift wrap

Looking at the final gift wrap alongside an old favourite, Figgy Pudding, I can see that the chosen size was right. All my printing takes place locally. I use FSC recycled papers and print on one side only. I aim to make my products as eco friendly as possible.

As for the original bauble artwork pieces...they are presently hanging over the fireplace here in the studio at rachelgoodchild.com.